Kidnapped!
by Kaizoku no Kazoku
Summary: When Lee is abducted by a man who doesn't think Lee should be a ninja, it's up to Lee to find a way to escape and get back home. No pairings
1. Captured

**Hi all! Well, it's a new year, and with it, a new story! I hope you all like it. There are a few OC's in the story, but they are not paired with any Naruto characters and they're necessary for the story. Hopefully, Matsuhara (the bad guy) isn't too creepy. He's definitely not a likeable character, but I'm hoping I wrote him well.**

**Now, on with the story!**

**Actually, there are no pairings between Naruto characters in this story either  
**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but if I did, Lee would have kept his cute-as-heck flipped haircut and chinese clothing**

* * *

"Gai-sensei?" A twelve-year-old Lee started as he leaped through the trees, sensei right beside him. They were taking a day off training today and were just taking a leisurely leap through the trees.

"Yes Lee?" Gai sensei answered, as he landed on a branch, then leaped forward.

"I really like spending time with you. Without Neji and Tenten, I mean." Lee paused for a few seconds and then continued. "Is this selfish of me?"

Gai thought a moment before replying. He knew that unlike Tenten and Neji, Lee had no one. He lived alone with no family to see about his wellbeing. It was really no wonder Lee liked to spend so much time with him."I don't really think so. When I'm not training you three, they always go off on their own anyway, so mostly it's just me and you either way. I don't think it's selfish of you to want to spend time with me."

Lee smiled shyly. He loved Gai-sensei, and if it was up to him, he'd spend all of his time with Gai. But he was realistic too, and knew that that wasn't possible. But still, he could dream. "Thank you, Gai-sensei."

* * *

A little while later, when they got close to Konoha again, Lee and Gai stopped and dropped to the ground.

"I'd like to get some yakiniku for lunch," Lee said to Gai. "Would you like to come with me?"

"Sure, Lee," Gai said. "But let me go get some money first. You go on ahead, I'll meet you there."

"Okay, Gai-sensei!" And Lee took off at a slow jog.

Gai turned and headed toward his apartment building.

* * *

Lee was jogging along, thinking about the delicious lunch he was about to have, when he heard a noise behind him. Stopping, and whipping out a kunai, he whirled around. He heard a the familiar poof of a ninja jutsuing in behind him, but before he could turn back around however, a hand holding a rag clamped over his mouth. Lee struggled for a few seconds, then everything went black.

* * *

Gai was headed toward the yakiniku restaurant, thoughts of a good meal on his mind, when he came across an object on the side of the road. A closer look revealed signs of a struggle and the object to be Lee's discarded weapons pouch. A feeling of dread lanced through his heart as he picked it up. Something had to have happened to Lee for his weapons pouch to just be lying out near the road like this.

He promptly forgot about his stomach, searching the area for Lee. He took the road that Lee would have taken to the restaurant, looking around for clues as to his whereabouts. When a search of the restaurant itself yielded nothing, he quickly headed for Kakashi's, pouch in hand.

* * *

The first thing Lee was aware of as he slowly regained consciousness, was that he was in a comfortable bed and that he was restrained. His hands and arms were free, but a peek under the blankets revealed his body to be chained from the waist all the way down to his ankles. Another chain tethered him to the steel foot railing of the bed.

Experimentally, he grabbed the part around his waist with both hands and pushed down to see if he could slip out. The chain didn't budge, too tightly was it locked around the boy's waist, and panic filled Lee's heart. Lee sat up and tugged at the chain tethering him to the bed, desperately trying to free himself.

Hearing a key in the lock of the door, he was instantly lying down again, feigning sleep in the hopes that his captor would go away.

The door creaked open and Lee forced himself to breathe evenly and calmly.

"I know you're awake, Little Teacup."

Lee opened his eyes to see a man with platinum-blonde hair, and grey eyes whom he recognized as Matsuhara-sensei from the academy. At least, he _had_ worked as an instructor from the academy, but then inexplicably disappeared without even the smallest trace a few months before Lee's graduation. His eyes bugged out of their sockets.

"Matsuhara-sensei?..." Lee breathed as he sat up. Fear and wariness filled his heart and he swallowed. "What have... Why have you kidnapped me?"

"I haven't kidnapped you." Matsuhara said sweetly, sitting down on the bed, stroking Lee's flipped hair, letting his hand rest on Lee's shoulder. Lee wanted to shrug it off but was too polite to do so. "I've freed you."

"What do you mean?" Lee asked frowning in confusion.

"Put simply, you work too hard." he said to Lee, stroking the boy's hair again. "I've watched you ever since before you became a Genin. You work hard every day and night, trying to make yourself into the best ninja you can be, despite your disability."

"So? What's wrong with that?" Lee asked, getting annoyed despite his fear.

"With you being as disabled as you are, you'll never be a real ninja." Matsuhara said sympathetically. "All that work is a waste. The only reason you were able to graduate from the academy, was because you got good grades in the non-shinobi subjects."

"That's not true! I _can_ become a good ninja with only taijutsu! Gai-sensei said so!" Lee nearly shouted, anger rising.

"Even so, you have severe limits." Matsuhara said as calmly as ever. "Gai-sensei can only help you so much."

"That's... not true..." Lee repeated, but sadness began to replace the anger.

"Why not make things easier for yourself, and stop trying." He said, more sympathy in his voice. His hand rested once more on Lee's shoulder. "Civilian life would be better for someone like you."

"I'll never stop trying." Lee ground out, and this time he did shrug off the older man's hand. "Let me out of here."

"Oh, I couldn't possibly do that." Matsuhara purred sweetly. "You need rest and relaxation and you need to realize that what you want is unattainable. If I let you go, you'll only work yourself to exhaustion again for an impossible dream."

"It's _not_ an impossible dream. Gai-sensei believes in me." Lee scowled. "Let me go."

"It doesn't matter how much Gai-sensei believes in you. You'll never be a true ninja."

"I _will_!" Lee shouted, tugging at the unyielding chain once more.

"If you were a real shinobi, you wouldn't have to beg me to free you." Matsuhara taunted. "These are just normal chains, not even the chakra depleting kind, and you still can't free yourself. Make things easier on yourself. Give up and stop trying to be something you'll never be."

Lee wanted to punch the man, tell him to shut up, but something inside of him taunted, _You know he's right. No matter how hard you work, no matter how determined you are, you'll never be a true ninja._ Tears leaked their way out of Lee's eyes before he could stop them. "Why does it matter to you so much what I do?"

"I'm trying to spare you from being hurt by your own failure." He rested his hand on Lee's. Lee pulled away again. "How would you feel if you put in all that hard work, only to find out years later that it was all for nothing?"

"Can't I learn that on my own?" Lee said sniffing, looking down at his hands. Hands that were strong, but not quite strong enough to snap a chain yet. He looked up with determination. "You can't keep me locked up in here! I'll find some way to get out!"

"You just keep telling yourself that, Little Teacup." Matsuhara said as he patted Lee on the head, then got up off the bed. "I'll be back later with some grub. Think about what I said until then."

Lee narrowed his eyes. "My _name_ is Lee! And I'm not hungry." A loud rumble escaped Lee's belly. Lee looked away with a scowl.

"Whatever you say, Little Teacup." And the door closed behind Matsuhara.

Hearing the sound of the door being locked, Lee finally began to take stock of his surroundings. The room was small and sparsely furnished. Besides the bed, there was a nightstand with a lamp and TV remote on it, a TV stand with a small television on it across from the bed, and a chest of drawers beside the closet. The window was barred, and the outside shutters were closed. From what he could tell by the little bit of light coming through the crack, it was late afternoon, early evening or so.

Lee reached over to the nightstand and pulled open the drawer, looking for something, anything he could pick the locks with. Finding nothing, he then looked for a file or anything to saw through the chains with. Nothing. He held back tears as he tried to squeeze out of the tight chains again.

He was hungry too. Very hungry. He only now realized that he had missed having lunch at the yakiniku place. Lunch with Gai-sensei. Lee wondered would Gai-sensei be able to find him. Then he remembered that Gai had Kakashi and Neji as allies, so it shouldn't take them long to rescue him. Meanwhile though, Lee felt that he should try to do something to help himself. But what? He was chained to this bed, then there was the question of the locked door and barred window. If only he still had his weapons pouch. Something in it could help him with his escape.

The chains binding his legs together were uncomfortable, and it was all he could do to keep holding back his tears at the situation he was in. Now was definitely not the time to cry.

* * *

**Earlier That Day...**

A frantic knock sounded on Kakashi's door, interrupting his reading. Sighing, he put down his book and went to see who was at the door.

As soon as the door opened, a strickened Gai rushed in, and by the look on his face, something must have happened to Lee.

"Kakashi! You have to help me!" Gai shouted, almost hysterically. "Someone's kidnapped Lee!"

"Whoa. Whoa. Calm down, and explain to me what happened." Kakashi told him as he closed the door and led Gai to the sofa.

Gai told Kakashi about the discarded pouch, the signs of a struggle, and the fact that Lee was nowhere to be found. "I even checked the restaurant where we were going to meet. Nothing." Gai tried to remain as calm as Kakashi, but every minute his precious Lee went missing, was another minute that Lee may no longer be alive.

"I would ask if you'd checked his apartment and all his usual hangouts, but you did say there were signs of a struggle around the area." Kakashi said calmly, thinking about how they might best go about finding Lee. "We should go back to that area, and see if we can discover anything that might lead to his whereabouts."

Gai took a few deep breaths to try to calm his frazzled nerves. It helped. A little. "Okay."

* * *

"There definitely are signs of a struggle here." Kakashi said as he and Gai examined the ground, some shrubbery, and weeds beside the road. Kakashi then summoned Pakkun. The dog sniffed around the area for a long while and the weapons pouch, trying to pick up a scent, any scent. After several minutes, Pakkun sat, looking up at the two men.

"I can't pick up a human scent at all. Not even Lee's" he said. "If I didn't know better, I would say this is the work of Matsuhara Gorou. But then, he's the only person I know of who's capable of snuffing out his and Lee's scents in this way."

"Matsuhara Gorou..." Gai let the name roll off his tongue with disgust. "He hasn't been heard from since he disappeared nearly a year ago. He never did approve of Lee trying to be a shinobi. Thought that all his hard work was for nothing. But if it is him, why would he abduct Lee? Lee's done nothing to him."

"If we can find him, maybe we can get some answers out of him." Kakashi stated.

Pakkun stood. "Sorry that I couldn't be of much help this time. If you stumble across any more clues, let me know. Well, I'm off." And with that, he disappeared in a poof of smoke.

"Well, they can't have gone far." Kakashi sighed. "We'll just have to form search parties and search the area and further out until they're found."

Gai's heart twisted into knots of worry for Lee's wellbeing, and anger at his kidnapper. He'd find Lee if he had to die trying.

* * *

As hungry as Lee was, he was barely able to stomach what passed for dinner in his kidnapper's house. In front of him was a small bowl of beans, quite a bit on the burnt side, and a stale smelling cheese sandwich. The only thing he had to drink was a glass of water.

He tried picking out the burned bits of the beans before eating them, then he took a bite of the cheese sandwich. He grimaced, putting it down, determined not to touch it again. Drinking the water, he then put the bedtable on the floor, and lay down again.

Gai-sensei must be worried sick about him. He wondered whether or not there was a way to let Gai know where he was. Tears leaked unbidden from his eyes as he thought of the worry he must be causing his sensei.

His head whirled around at the sound of the door being unlocked. He quickly dried his eyes on his sleeve as the door opened. Matsuhara looked down at the food still on the tray. He scowled.

"What is this? I thought you were hungry!" he said. Lee's stomach answered him with another loud rumble. "Children should not waste good food." When Lee didn't answer, he shrugged. "It doesn't matter. You can finish it in the morning."

"Can't I have something else?" Lee asked, hoping that the man would agree to it. "The beans were burned and the cheese sandwich was stale."

Matsuhara scowled at Lee for a second, then picked up the tray. "Picky kid. You're lucky I care so much about you. Otherwise you would still have this for breakfast." Then he walked out of the room, locking the door once more behind him.

While he was gone, Lee peered at the chains holding him captive. If he could just break them, or pick the locks somehow, he could be free and out of here faster than he could say his own name. He lay down again, arms stretched out on either side of him.

Gazing up at the ceiling, he thought again about Gai-sensei, and his teammates. He wondered whether Tenten and Neji were worried about him? Then he thought, maybe not Neji, but Tenten definitely.

He was bored, and his legs throbbed with a dull ache from the lack of physical activity. He stretched them, hoping to relieve some of the pain. It helped, a little, but still they longed to jump, run, kick. He sighed, turning onto his side. He knew Gai-sensei would come to his aid, as soon as he found Lee. But chances were, he most likely had no clue as to where Lee was. Lee certainly didn't. And he knew that Matsuhara could eliminate any traces of his and other's scents, so employing dogs would be useless.

His captor had most likely taken him far away from Konoha, so his chances of being found were probably next to none. Lee shook his head. He would be found. It was just a matter of time.

He heard the key in the lock again after a while and he sat up. Matsuhara brought in a tray of fish and some rice, and set it down over Lee's bound legs. "Perhaps this will be more to your liking?" he said mockingly.

Lee tasted the food. At least the fish tasted fresh, and the rice was fluffy and sticky with just the right amount of salt. Lee nodded his approval, tucking into the food with gusto.

"Children should say thank you when given something." Matsuhara said, growing annoyed.

Afraid that the man would take away his food if he didn't say it, Lee quickly gave him a grateful, "Thank you for the food." before resuming eating.

"That's better." He sat and watched Lee as the boy ate, not wanting him to waste anything.

Lee finished his food quietly, trying not to let it outwardly show just how uncomfortable he was.

Matsuhara grabbed the remote, pressed a button, and the TV flickered to life. He turned to a station playing some cartoons. "It's 18:00 hours right now. You can stay up for another hour, then it's bedtime."

Lee gaped at Matsuhara in complete disbelief. He hadn't gone to bed this early since he was at least five or so. When he regained his composure, he asked, "Why so early? Gai-sensei never makes me go to bed that early."

"Gai-sensei is wrong. Children need to sleep to be healthy. Get it early, and lots of it. He doesn't treat you as a normal child. As long as you're here with me, you'll be treated as normal."

Lee moved his bed tray and threw the blankets off of his bound legs, exposing them for Matsuhara to clearly see. "What part of restraining me and chaining me to a bed is normal?"

"That's for your own protection and good." Matsuhara began. "I already explained to you earlier."

In the same tone Matsuhara would have used, Lee said, "Children need freedom to move around and be active."

Matsuhara closed his eyes, frowning, and pinching the bridge of his nose. Lee was right, but unchaining the boy completely would give him a chance to escape. "If you can behave like the good boy I know you can be, I'll consider unchaining you from the bed at least. Not tonight though. You need your sleep. Lie down." He ordered. Lee did as he was told, half-afraid the man would force him down if he didn't. Matsuhara picked up the tray from Lee's bed, covered Lee again with the blankets, then took the tray from the room.

When Lee heard the footsteps recede, he sat up again, ignoring the cartoons, and worked on the chain again trying to get it to break. He kept this up for the next hour until he could hear the footsteps coming back toward the room. He lay back down on his side.

"I know you've been up, trying to figure out a way to escape." Matsuhara said knowingly. "It's not gonna happen."

"Why shouldn't I try to escape?" Lee asked angrily. "You _kidnapped_ me! I'm not here by choice. I want to go home!" Lee tried hard to keep the tears at bay, but one slipped out unbidden. He quickly wiped it away.

"This is your home now." Matsuhara said, near the end of his patience. "Try to understand that."

Lee sighed sadly. There was just no reasoning with this man. The only way he was going to get out of here was if he could somehow escape or someone came and rescued him.

It usually wasn't in Lee to be rude, but right now, he didn't care. He rolled over onto his stomach, turning his face away. "If you're not going to let me go, just go away and leave me alone."

Matsuhara stared at the back of Lee's head for a moment, then he turned off the TV with the remote, walked over to the door, and turning out the light, left the room without a word.

* * *

Matsuhara sat at his desk, head down, fingers in his platinum-blonde hair.

Why couldn't Lee see? Why couldn't Lee understand? This was the best way. Lee could _never_ be a proper shinobi, so to work so hard to try to fulfill his impossible dream was useless. Couldn't he see?

He had _had_ to abduct Lee and chain him to the bed. It was really for his own good. Lee may not like it, but it was for his own good, like keeping a cat indoors to keep her from getting hurt or killed. This kept Lee from hurting himself physically and, later down the line, mentally and emotionally.

He had to see about Lee's wellbeing, because no one else was going to. Gai was a terrible sensei, in his eyes, telling Lee he could still pursue his dream despite his severe disability. A child simply couldn't have such a disability and still be a shinobi, and the sooner Lee realized that, the better.


	2. Trapped

Gai lay awake that night staring at the green numerals of his clock. 4:17 they read. Lee hadn't been heard from in a little over a month. Six weeks had gone by, and no trace of Lee had been found. He wondered if Lee was okay. He wondered how Lee was being treated. Probably having the self-image that Gai had worked so hard to build up in him torn down.

The more Gai thought about that, the angrier he got. He had to find Lee. Find Lee and tell him things would be okay. He threw off the blankets and got out of bed. He'd find Lee if it killed him.

* * *

Lee tossed and turned as he lay on his stomach, in the bed wrapped up in a nightmare:

Matsuhara was threatening to cut off his legs, and he couldn't move **at all**. He tried to scoot out of the way of the man with the machete, but he couldn't move. Just as the large knife was brought down, Lee awoke with a scream that could've woken the dead. A quick look around revealed no one to be in the room with him.

Lee flipped over onto his back and sat up, throwing the blankets off of his legs. They were still intact, still bound, and still chained to the bed railing. Since he'd been brought here, he'd been allowed out of this bed a grand total of once. Even then, his legs remained bound. Matsuhara didn't take any chances to let Lee escape.

He knew he could escape, he just had to figure out how. Then he got an idea. Maybe the next time Lee was allowed out of bed he could try it. He had to practically beg the man to free him from the bed, but he'd get his wish eventually.

He stretched legs that were growing weak from disuse. He bent and stretched his knees as best he could and wiggled his toes. At this rate, even if he could manage to escape, he wasn't going to be able to walk very well.

He sadly gazed at the moonlight steaming in through the barred window. He'd finally gotten Matsuhara to open the shutters so he could at least see out, even if he was never allowed outside. Lee sighed. For someone who proclaimed to want to treat a child normally, Matsuhara sure placed a lot of restrictions on Lee.

He constantly thought of Gai-sensei, wondering why Matsuhara-sensei wouldn't just let him go back home. He wanted to go home so badly. Why did Matsuhara keep him chained up in this bed against his will like this?

Matsuhara's words came back to him:_ These are just normal chains, not even the chakra depleting kind, and you still can't free yourself._

Lee turned his gaze onto the gleaming silvery-gray-colored chains. It was so simple. Why couldn't Matsuhara just unlock the chains... and set him free? He was no relation to Lee. What right did he have to keep Lee prisoner like this, or any child for that matter?

He sighed. He couldn't sleep anymore, not after that dream, and he went to work stacking the pillows on the bed, then laying back on them. This bed was comfortable, but that didn't mean he wanted to lie in it _all the time._He longed to get out of it more than just every once in a while. His body was begging for some kind of exercise, but the best he could give it were sit-ups. Not that those did any good. The bed was too soft and pliable to do proper sit-ups on.

He grabbed the remote to switch on the TV. At this hour, there were nothing but infomercials on. Lee sat through the last bit of one for a steam power mop, and was about to turn the channel when one came on for a DIY locksmith kit. Lee practically drooled as the demonstrations for it were given, right in front of his very eyes. If only he had that kit in his hands right now, he'd be free and on his way home.

Hearing the key in the lock of the door to his room, Lee quickly switched off the TV and lay down. He scowled as Matsuhara poked his head in.

"If you can't sleep, I don't mind if you watch TV." he said. "What were you watching anyway?"

Lee switched the TV back on, knowing that if he didn't answer, Matsuhara was going to find out anyway. Matsuhara sat on the bed beside Lee, watching the demonstrations of the locksmith kit, and chuckled. "Still trying to get out of here, huh? Maybe in a few years, I'll let you go. If you can give up your dream, that is."

"Never!" Lee shouted.

Matsuhara smiled pleasantly at Lee. "Then you can never leave. I'm not going to let you go just 'cause you want to get out of here and continue to pursue that silly dream of yours."

"It's not silly!" Lee said, tears pricking the corners of his eyes.

"It is. If you were a real ninja, you could leave on your own."

"I'm just a genin! I don't know everything I need to know yet!"

"Even a normal genin would be able to get out of those chains if he really put his mind to it. You can't free yourself because you can't do even the simplest jutsu." Matsuhara watched as Lee wiped away tears that continued to fall. "Look, Little Teacup..."

"Lee." The sad and angered boy ground out.

"Okay. Lee." Matsuhara conceded. "I'm only doing this for your own good, as well as your safety. You always end up injuring yourself to prove that you can be a good ninja."

"So?" Lee sniffed, scowling. He wasn't in the mood to hear Matsuhara's reasons yet again.

"So? You know you'll never be a real ninja, and yet you keep on trying and hurting yourself? Do you really want to be a ninja that badly, or are you just a masochist?"

Lee looked into Matsuhara's eyes. "I really want to be a ninja. Badly. Please let me go. Let me pursue my dream."

Matsuhara gazed at Lee for a long moment. "I... can't. I just can't in good conscience allow you to continue to hurt yourself when I know it's for nothing. You should just relax and enjoy the comfort of your bed."

"I don't _want_ to lie in bed all the time!" Lee sniffed. "I'm a kid! Kids need to run, jump, and play. I'm tired of being chained to this bed. I want to go outside and play sometimes."

"I understand, but I can't let you out." Matsuhara told Lee, as if he should understand by now.

"Why?" Lee said accusingly. "Because you're afraid that someone might find out that you're holding an innocent child prisoner?"

"I'm not holding you prisoner. I told you I'm keeping you safe." he said growing annoyed with Lee's inability to understand his point of view.

"If you're not holding me prisoner, then tell me why am I chained to a bed in a locked room? Why does the window have bars on it? Why can't I get out?" Lee said, voice growing louder and louder. "If I'm not being held prisoner I should be able to come and go any time I want to. If I'm not being held prisoner, you would let me go."

Matsuhara, who'd face palmed as he listened to Lee's rant, said finally, "Alright. Maybe I _am_ holding you prisoner, but it's _still_ for your own good."

"I'm glad you can at least admit it now." Lee said, sitting back on his hands. "Now about letting me go-"

"Out of the question." Matsuhara interrupted. "I know you don't like this, but it keeps you from injuring yourself."

"_Lots_ of ninja kids hurt themselves! In training, on missions... Are you going to keep them prisoner too?"

"That's different." Matsuhara told him, stroking his hair. Lee jerked away. "You're a special case."

"Because I can't do normal ninja arts." Lee rolled his eyes. "I've heard your reasons time and time again. Offer me a different reason to keep me here against my will. Something I can actually understand."

"I've told you everything there is to know as to why I'm keeping you here." Matsuhara was about to stroke Lee's hair again, thought better of it, and put his hand back down. "I can't help it if you won't understand."

"What's there to understand?" Lee shot back. "You're keeping me prisoner here just because you think my accomplishing my dream is impossible!"

"And I no longer want to see you injuring yourself." Matsuhara added.

"I keep asking you, why do you care if I hurt myself?" Lee shouted, tugging hard at his chains. "I'm not even your child!"

Matsuhara shrugged indifferently.

"Could you at least release me from the bed today?" Lee begged. One wouldn't think it, but being confined to bed all day and night week after week was tiring. Still, he knew the answer he could expect.

"Not today, Little Teacup." He saw Lee bristle at the hated nickname. "You need more rest. Maybe in another few days."

"Another few days?" Lee whined, flopping back onto the pillows behind him. "I'm tired of resting! I want to get up! Do something!"

"I'll bring you something to do later." he said getting up off the bed. "As of now, it's starting to get light out. How does eggs and bacon sound for breakfast?"

"Fine." Lee said from the cocoon of pillows and blankets around him.

"Alright. I'll be back shortly." he told Lee, walking to the door. "You be a good boy and watch TV while I'm gone." And he closed and locked the door behind him.

Lee glared at the closed door. Besides watch TV, what else could he do?

* * *

Gai had gone as far as the statues of the first two hokages, looking for house, cottage, cabin, or whatever where Lee might be being held. Nothing.

Maybe he was in another village far from Konoha. A coldness knifed through his heart as he thought of the many villages that were far away from here. If he was in another village, which one would he be in? He just had to hope and pray that Lee was nearby, still within the vicinity of his own village.

He took off through the canopy of trees again.

* * *

Sitting in bed working with coloring pencils and drawing paper was not Lee's idea of "doing" something. Tears ran down his face as he put the finishing touches on a tearstained drawing of Matsuhara as a half man-half monster thing that was bent on keeping Lee, who was in the drawing as an old man, prisoner forever.

Lee wiped his eyes on his sleeve. More tears fell. He'd tried many different ways to free himself and escape, none of which had worked. So for now, he was stuck here. Stuck here, without his sensei and teammates. Stuck in this prison, with an insane man he was still half afraid of. He was locked up in here, and he wasn't even a criminal. And a criminal at least knew when his sentence was going to end, Lee had no idea when he was getting out.

He was folding the drawing into fourths when he heard Matsuhara jiggling the key in the lock of the door. He hid the drawing between the little bedtable and his legs, holding it there with one hand so it wouldn't accidently slip out.

"Can I see what you've drawn so far?" Matsuhara said as he walked into the room, and sat on Lee's bed.

"Nothing..." Lee said, shaking his head. He didn't want Matsuhara to see how Lee'd portrayed him in the drawing.

"What is that you're hiding then?"

"Noth-" And before Lee could release the drawing, Matsuhara had grabbed his wrist and yanked his hand out from under the table, revealing the folded sheet of paper. He tried to liberate the paper from Lee's hand, but the boy had a tight grip on it. He squeezed Lee's wrist painfully. Still Lee resisted.

He leaned in until his face was mere inches away from Lee's. "Let me see it, unless you want your bones crushed." he threatened as he squeezed even harder, fingers digging into the soft flesh.

Lee immediately let go of the paper, and it dropped to the bedspread. The increasing pressure on Lee's wrist suddenly abated, and he rubbed at it. There was going to be a large bruise there shortly.

Matsuhara unfolded the paper, peering at it. Fear made Lee's whole body tremble. What would Matsuhara do to him now? Then he heard the man laugh. He looked up.

He showed Lee the drawing. "Is this supposed to be me?" He said, pointing to the tall figure beside the bed. Lee's lack of an answer only confirmed what he knew.

"This is pretty good actually." he said, praising Lee's artistic abilities. "I've never been rendered quite this way before. And I suppose the old man is you?"

Tears came to Lee's eyes again, and he wiped them away before they could fall. Matsuhara laughed again. "Except for me being a half monster, this drawing is rather accurate. I don't plan on letting you go for a good _long_ time. Now it's time for your nap. Lie down."

Ever since he'd been here with Matsuhara, Lee had been made to take naps every afternoon. And he didn't enjoy it one bit. Lee said quietly, "Can't I do something different today? I don't want to go to sleep."

"Lie down."

Lee did as he was told, noting the firm, no-nonsense way that Matsuhara had commanded him to do so the second time. Matsuhara moved the bedtray, paper and coloring pencils off the bed, covering Lee up to his shoulders with the blankets.

"I want you asleep by the time I come back." he ordered. Lee nodded fearfully.

"Don't look at me like that, Lee." he said as he stood up. "As long as you do as I say, I won't have to punish you."

"But I'm not your child..." Lee spoke quietly, almost too quietly for Matsuhara to hear him.

"You are as long as you're here." Matsuhara taunted, growing tired of Lee saying it. "Now be a good boy and go to sleep."

Tears sprang from Lee's eyes as he covered his head with his blanket. Matsuhara quietly left the room, making sure to lock the door behind him as always.

* * *

When Matsuhara returned about forty minutes later, Lee was frowning in his fitful sleep...

* * *

_"Wake up Lee! Wake up!" A familiar voice called. Lee opened his eyes, and quickly sat up in bed. Gai-sensei was standing over him with a big smile plastered on his face. _

_"Gai-sensei? Gai-sensei. What happened?" Lee asked as he rubbed his eyes._

_"You were having a nightmare." Gai said as he sat down on the bed. _

_Lee moved the blankets from his legs to find that they were unbound and free. So it had been a dream? Somehow all those weeks he'd spent bound up in the bed had seemed so real. _

_As he stood up though, he found that his legs felt strangly weak and wobbly. But after standing for a few minutes, he began to walk around, albeit slowly. _

_"What were you dreaming about that had you tossing and turning so?" Gai asked as he watched Lee test his legs as if he hadn't used them in a long time._

_"Matsuhara-sensei kidnapped me and was holding me prisoner!" A frightened Lee blurted out. "He had my legs chained together and he wouldn't let me go!"_

_"Well, Matsuhara can't get to you while I'm here." Gai smiled, reassuring Lee. "And let's just say that he won't want to try. What say we go outside and train for a while? It'll help you feel better."_

_Lee's face lit up as he quickly made his way to the door. He and Gai-sensei stepped outside; Lee making his way to the training posts. He kicked fiercely and punched hard, wanting to feel to pleasant burn that went along with hard, heart-pounding exercise._

_Two hours later, he stopped, bending over with hands planted on his knees. He looked up, smiling at Gai-sensei who smiled back at him. _

_"You want to come with me to get some takoyaki for lunch?" Gai-sensei smiled down at his favorite student. _

_"Do I!" Lee blurted out happily. "I feel like I haven't had any in ages!"_

_"Let's go then! My treat!"_

_A half-hour later, Lee patted his full belly, sighing happily. "Thank you Gai-sensei."_

_"My pleasure, Lee." Gai said as he took the receipt, and they headed out the door of the restaurant. _

_They'd barely made it outside again however, when..._

"It's time to wake up, Lee."

Lee awoke with a start. Eyes open wide, he sat bolt upright and stared into the face of Matsuhara. He tried to move his legs but couldn't. But this couldn't be. His legs being restrained meant...

Tears welled up in his eyes, his lips quivered, he threw his head back, eyes squeezed shut, and a piercing wail filled the room.


	3. Escape

**A thank you goes out to Roving Otter for helping me with the first two chapters of this story. Also, if you haven't already, check out her GaiLee fics. They are mostly father/son type fics but there's one where they are a pairing.

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Matsuhara just didn't know what to do. The poor child was completely inconsolable. Nothing he could do would stop Lee's wailing. If anything, Lee only cried harder at his efforts.

Matsuhara sighed as he lay a hand on Lee's back. "Look Lee, I thought about it, and I came in here to let you out of the bed for a while. I don't know what I did to upset you like this..." he said, honestly puzzled.

Lee gave no indication that he'd even heard at all. Reaching into his pocket, Matsuhara pulled out a key and unlocked the chain holding the boy to the bed, effectively freeing him. Lee's legs remained bound, however. Lee watched all of this through the blurred vision of his tears. He thought quickly, this was his chance to escape!

It was now or never.

Quickly, Lee used all his strength to swing his legs up, aiming at the man's face. They made full contact, and Matsuhara staggered back, then fell, out cold.

Lee knew it was now a race against time. He slid off of the bed, and quickly fished through the man's pockets looking for the key that would free his legs completely. Unfortunately, he could find nothing. He sighed in frustration, then shook his head. He had to get out of this house and put as much distance between himself and it as soon as possible before the man reawakened. He hoisted himself up onto his hands, steadied himself as best he could, and hand-walked his way out of the room.

He'd had to fumble with the door a bit, but once opened, he quickly made his way down a set of stairs, then out into the open. He didn't look back as he headed toward the woods that were not too far ahead.

* * *

Walking on his hands as he was, he couldn't see very far ahead with the growth on the forest floor. From what he could tell though, there were many miles he'd have to put behind him before he'd reach Konoha. And every minute he delayed, was a minute that Matsuhara could find him, and drag him back to his prison.

Lee quickened his hand-steps.

* * *

Three days.

Three days had gone by, and Lee had yet to reach Konoha village or see Gai-sensei. He wanted to call out, to see if Gai could hear him, but there was the danger of revealing his location to Matsuhara, whom he knew was out looking for him.

Having not been able to procure much to eat out here without his ninja tools and weapons, Lee was tired, and so very, very hungry. What he'd give for a safe place to rest and a nice bowl of curry right about now. But he couldn't think about that now. Matsuhara was hot on his trail.

The second day he'd been free, he thought he saw the man leaping through the trees above him, searching for his prisoner. Lee had quickly lain flat against the ground, not moving, only the foliage on the forest floor to hide him. He'd waited until Matsuhara had passed, then he got up and moved in a different direction for while, before continuing in his previous.

It wasn't long before Lee came upon a clearing with a few bushes of blueberries near a small pond. Grateful for the food, he sat and gathered and consumed as many as his stomach could hold, then he drank deeply of the water, listening out for anything that could be Matsuhara. Before he left however, he took note of the location of the clearing, in case he ever needed to find it again in the future. Then he set out on his way again with renewed energy.

* * *

Matsuhara had checked nearly everywhere on the route from his home to where he was now. The little brat's legs were still chained together so he couldn't get very far. When he caught that brat again, he was going to show him absolutely no mercy. He touched his face, slowly running his finger from forehead to the bridge of his nose, noting that the skin was still tender where Lee had kicked him. This angered him all the more as he jumped down from the trees and started to search the ground.

Lee had to be around here somewhere.

* * *

Gai was leaping through the trees when he noticed someone leap down from a tree branch several yards from him. He stopped and watched as the man seemed to be searching for something at ground level. Gai only got a glimpse of his face, but the man looked an awful lot like Matsuhara. And if it _was_ Matsuhara, his chances of finding Lee just got a lot bigger.

Gai subdued his chakra level, until only a really sensitive shinobi of jounin level or higher would be able to detect it. He then quietly followed the other man around, at close proximiy, hoping he would lead him to Lee.

Every so often, words like "Damn!" and "Brat!" and "How dare he do this to me?" floated towards him as the man being followed searched for his prey. A closer look at the man earlier had revealed him to be none other than Matsuhara. From what Matsuhara was doing and saying, it seemed that Lee had escaped his captor. Good. Now for Gai to find Lee before Matsuhara did.

* * *

As the hours went by, day had become night and Lee had slowed down signifigantly. His stomach was empty again, and he was tired to the core of his bones. He needed sleep, and food, but above all, he needed to keep moving. Every minute, no, every second he delayed, every second he stopped to rest, was a chance that he'd be recaptured by his kidnapper.

Tears rolled down Lee's face as his weary arms shook with fatigue with each hand-step he took. He wished fervently that he could remove the chains binding his legs together. Then he could get back to Konoha faster. The only thing he could really do was reassure himself that he'd at least put a good amount of distance between where he was now and Matsuhara's residence.

One weary arm staggered and his body dropped like the dead weight it was, landing in the leaf litter on the forest floor. He was so tired, just a few minutes of sleep would make all the difference. His eyes closed of their own accord...

* * *

Matsuhara parted his way into a little clearing with berry bushes and a small pond at the center. From the bright light of the moon above, he could make out a child's handprints in the mud of the bank near the water. So the brat had not too long ago vacated this place. He noted that one of the berry bushes had been picked clean of fruit.

When he caught Lee again, he'd make sure that boy received nothing but cans of charred beans and stale cheese sandwiches for the rest of his natural life, Matsuhara contemplated in anger. He searched for, found, and followed Lee's trail out of the clearing. Little did he know, that Gai was trailing his every step.

* * *

Lee awoke with a start, sitting up. Heart pounding in his chest, he stared up into the face of a man he didn't recognize.

"So you're awake." The man smiled in a friendly manner, easing Lee's fears somewhat. He had short, light brown hair, green eyes, and a small scar etched it's way through his right eyebrow. "You've been asleep since we found you ten hours ago. What's your name, kid?"

"...Lee..." he said, unsure of whether or not to tell the man his name. He looked around warily. He was lying in a futon type bed in a small hut-like house. There was only one room in the house, and besides the man, there were two other occupants, a young woman with long, dark, braided hair and a boy who looked to be a couple of years older than Lee. He had his father's eyes, and his mother's long braided hair. They were on the other side of the small room. The man spoke again.

"My name is Nobuhiro." He gestured to the woman and boy, who came over and sat by the bed. "This is my wife, Ayane, and our son, Jouichirou." he said as they both greeted Lee.

"Poor child, you must be hungry." Ayane said. "We have some smoked fish and flatbread, and fresh, cold water to drink, if you like."

"I'm very hungry, thank you." Lee said earnestly. He was starving and his mouth was dry from thirst.

Ayane moved over to the kitchen area of the room, taking out a plate and piling it with food. Nobuhiro turned to Lee. "So may I asked what happened to you to bring you all the way out here? Your legs are chained as if you'd escaped from somewhere, and are trying to find your way home."

Lee was wary, wondering if he should tell this man anything. For all he knew, he could be an ally of Matsuhara's and, right now, be planning to give Lee back to his kidnapper.

"I can see that you're afraid." Nobuhiro said gently. He put a hand on Lee's shoulder, noting that the young boy was trembling with fear. "I won't pressure you. You can tell me when you're ready."

Lee relaxed a little, trembling abating somewhat as Ayane brought over the food. Lee accepted it gratefully, and dug right in.

* * *

Gai grinned in smug satisfaction as a frustrated Matsuhara sat in a tree, legs folded, puzzled as to where his prey had wandered off to. A few more choice words floated back to him as Matsuhara then stood and made his way in a different direction than he'd been going in previously. Gai once again followed at a discreet distance.

* * *

"Please feel free to stay as long as you need to, Lee." Ayane said as Lee lay down after his dinner. "You're safe here."

"Thank you so much for your hospitality." Lee said sincerely. Then he yawned. He was still so bone-tired. Maybe after he rested up here for a day or so, he could get back to the business of trying to get home.

"No thanks are necessary." she said. "Just rest here, okay?"

Lee nodded as he lay down and closed his weary eyes.


	4. Protection

**I'm not sure if I like how I wrote the latter half of this chapter...**

**Please read & review. Please?**

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Over the next few days, Lee slowly recovered from his ordeal. And he got to know more about the tiny village he'd been brought to. Although the village Morimura was far away, it was a completely civilian establishment under the protection of Konoha. The people here mostly made their living through hunting, fishing, and agriculture, and there was a school that kids like Jouichirou and his friends went to.

Lee got to know Nobuhiro and his family as well.

Nobuhiro was a hunter and fisherman who'd been hunting food for his family, when he'd accidently stumbled upon an unconscious Lee whom he'd brought back with him to his home. Ayane was a homemaker who made their winter clothing from the wool of the few sheep they had out back. They had chickens they tended to, as well as a couple of cattle for milk, butter, and cheese.

He'd quickly made friends with the fourteen-year-old Jouichirou. It was he who had tried to pick the locks on the chains to free Lee's legs. He was unsuccessful however, as the locks were pick resistant.

The second day Lee was here, he'd trusted Nobuhiro and his family enough to tell them about his ordeal, and his captor, Matsuhara. Lee gave a full and very accurate desciption of the man and his appearance. He'd told them what he knew of his personality and quirks.

Nobuhiro had then gone out and informed the rest of the village about Matsuhara, putting the village on full alert just in case he came through. Fortunately for Lee, things had been uneventful so far.

At the moment, Jouichirou was alone in the house with Lee. Nobuhiro was out fishing, and Ayane was out shopping for the vegetables and herbs she'd need to cook dinner for four.

"So you live by yourself in Konoha?" Jouichirou asked him as they sat on the floor of the house playing with a deck of cards.

"Yes. But he held me captive so long, I'll probably no longer have a place to go when I get back to Konoha." Lee said as he lay down a card then picked up another out of a stack, looked at it, and added it to his hand.

"You're welcome to stay here with us." Jouichirou said as he also picked up a card and added it to his hand. "You've only been here a few days, but you're like the little brother I never had."

Lee smiled, blushing. "Thank you. You're a lot nicer than Neji is."

"Who's Neji?"

"He's my shinobi teammate back in Konoha. He's like a mean, older brother." Lee said, looking away, scowling. "He bullies me, and says mean things to me."

"Like what?" Jouichirou said as he lay down a card and picked two more out of the stack.

"Things like, I'll never be a real ninja, without being able to do ninjutsu and genjutsu." Lee put down his cards and stared at his hands. "My captor said it too. But I know I can be a good ninja, a _great_ ninja, if they'd just give me a chance. Gai-sensei did, but the others don't want to."

"Is Gai-sensei your shinobi teacher?" Jouichirou asked, putting down his hand and sitting closer to the younger boy.

Lee nodded. "He's the only one who believes in me. And Matsuhara..." Lee said the name as if it physically hurt him to say it. "Took me away from him. Said he was a bad teacher for telling me I could be a good shinobi when it was obvious that I couldn't. Told me I should just be a civilian."

"Gai-sensei doesn't sound like a bad teacher to me." Jouichirou told Lee honestly. "I think someone like that would be a good teacher. Sometimes, if you believe in yourself, things have a way of working out. But Lee..."

Lee looked up into Jouichirou's eyes.

"Civilian life isn't all that bad." he said. "Sometimes I think that I'd like to be a ninja, but it doesn't bother me that I can't. But I can understand how you feel too. Why not stay with us for a while, see how civilian life treats you. Just for a bit. You may find it to not be so bad after all."

"I really need to get back though..." Lee spoke quietly, tracing the grain of the wooden floor where he was sitting with a finger. "I need someone who can get me out of these chains... And I need to see Gai-sensei again."

"I understand." Jouichirou said, slipping an arm around Lee's shoulders and pulling him towards him. "But always remember you have a friend here in this village."

"I will." Lee said, tears clinging to his long eyelashes.

* * *

Matsuhara parted some shrubbery into a well worn path that led into the gates of Morimura. If Lee had made it to this little village, that little hellion brat should be fairly easy to find, seeing as the village was much smaller than Konoha. But of course, he had to get past the guards at the gate first. Good thing he'd dressed in civilian clothes before he left his residence.

He approached the guards whom, he noted, tightened their hands on their weapons upon sight of him. So, the little brat had been here, was most likely still here seeking refuge, and had warned them of his eminent arrival. "State your purpose here." The first of them said, brows furrowed, eyes narrowed.

"No need to be like that, gentlemen." Matsuhara said easily. "I'm just here for a friendly visit." he spread his arms, smiling pleasantly.

"We know what you're really here for." The second guard said. "And until he leaves this village of his own volition, that boy is under our protection."

Matsuhara's eyes narrowed, and his smile grew cold. "Oh, _is_ he now."

"Yes, he is." the first spoke again. "I suggest you leave, and not come back."

Gai, who was still trailing Matsuhara, heard the entire conversation. He watched as Matsuhara was suddenly behind the two men as he smacked their heads together. Hard. They both slumped into heaps at his feet.

Matsuhara smiled pleasantly again. "I think not. I'll just take a little tour of the village while you two sleep. Nighty-night, guys." he said as he walked away through the gates of the village.

* * *

Apparently, the brat had managed to tell everyone about him, because as he strolled through the tiny village, everyone stared at him with suspicion and... a small amount of fear? Fear of him, or fear for Lee? Oh well, he didn't care. He was going to find the brat, beat him senseless for what he'd done, take him back to his residence where he'd be chained spread eagle to the bed for the rest of his life, then he'd be out of their hair.

* * *

Lee could feel the chakra long before he even saw the man. He dropped his cards. "Oh no..." he said as he looked towards the door.

"What's wrong Lee?" Jouichirou asked, noting the look of alarm on the younger boy's face and in his actions.

"It's him!" he whispered to the older boy. "He's found me, he's coming for me!"

Jouichirou lay his cards down. "I have to help you hide. Come on." He hoisted Lee onto his back as best he could, then he took him over to the closet space where they kept the futons during the day. Jouichirou took out the bedding, then stood Lee up in the closet, stuffing the bedding back into the cramped space.

"This should keep you hidden until he leaves." Jouichirou murmured, just before closing the door.

Lee wasn't sure that this would work, but he hunkered down behind the bedding and prayed like he never had before.

* * *

Matsuhara stopped in front of the door to the hut-like house, feeling Lee's chakra faintly from inside the residence. He'd had to dispatch with a few annoying bugs to get to this residence, but after that, the rest of the inhabitants of the village had left him alone. Probably gathering reinforcements, he presumed. He didn't care. By the time they got here, he'd have his prey, and be well on his way out of the village.

* * *

Gai stopped to tend to the injured men who'd fought against Matsuhara. Seeing his Konoha headband-belt assured the village men that this man was an ally. They informed Gai as to Lee's whereabouts.

"Are you sure you don't need my help?" Gai asked. Even with Lee in danger, he couldn't leave without at least offering assistance first.

"We'll be fine. It's Lee who needs your help." one of the men said, the others agreed.

Gai nodded. "Thank you for protecting my Lee." he said simply, before starting off again after Matsuhara, not waiting for a response.

* * *

Matsuhara burst through the door of the small residence, nearly knocking it off it's hinges. He looked around and his eyes lit on an angry Jouichirou. From what he could tell, the boy was frightened too, but hiding it well.

"Why'd you do that? You could have broken the door!" Jouichirou shouted, getting to his feet.

"If you don't release the boy to me now," Matsuhara said slowly, grounding the words out. "the door's not the only thing I'll break!"

Jouichirou's heart hammered in his chest, but he couldn't show fear. Not now, when he had a friend to protect. He pressed his lips together, not saying a word.

"You _will_ tell me where he is," Matsuhara was getting angrier by the second as he stepped closer to the teen. "Or do you need a bit of persuasion?" His eyes took stock of the little abode. Not many places the brat could hide. He spotted the bedding closet. "Nevermind. I'll find him myself." And strode toward it.

"Nooo!" Jouichirou cried, lunging at the man. Matsuhara threw off the teen easily, whipping out a kunai and stabbing the boy in the upper arm, cutting deeply into the tender flesh. Jouichirou staggered backwards, clutching his injured arm. Matsuhara threw open the door to the closet, yanking out the bedding to find Lee crouched behind it, staring wide-eyed at him like a deer in the headlights. The fear radiating from the young boy was so palpable, even Matsuhara could feel it.

He grabbed Lee by the wrist and threw him out of the closet, onto the floor. Jouichirou got in front of the restrained boy, trying to protect him. "Don't touch him!" he shouted as blood ran down his arm in rivulets. He was growing weaker by the minute, but he had to protect Lee. Matsuhara threw him out of the way, then swiftly kicked Lee in the ribs as Lee tried to drag himself away.

"It's payback time, you little brat!" Matsuhara said through his teeth as he kicked Lee again hearing bones crack this time.

Pain flooded his body as Lee was kicked in the ribs again and again. He couldn't breath anymore, couldn't scream. Matsuhara stomped on his back, once, then again. He stomped on his arm not satisfied until he could hear the bones snap. Lee tried to move away, but Matsuhara dragged him back and continued to vent his anger on the young boy.

Jouichirou had to think fast, before he blacked out from blood loss. He stood unsteadily, going over to the kitchen area. He was looking for his mother's rolling pin. He found it, picked it up in his good hand, and walked behind Matsuhara. With the way he was gleefully lighting into the younger boy, Matsuhara wouldn't have even noticed a bomb going off.

Jouichirou raised the rolling pin and cracked the man over the head with it. Matsuhara slumped, and fell to the ground, once again out cold.

He staggered over to Lee, plopping onto the floor on his knees. He checked Lee over. A peek under the boy's shirt revealed a large bruise spreading over his entire side. His back also had a spreading bruise. There was another bruise on his arm, and Lee's breathing was labored. Pain was clearly etched on his face.

"We need to get you to a doctor..." Jouichirou said as he pulled Lee's shirt back into place.

"...I... I have... to leave here..." Lee said between painful breaths. "...Can't... put you... into anymore... danger..."

"It's okay, Lee... It's okay..." Jouichirou tried to reassure Lee, rubbing his shoulder, careful not to jostle his arm. Lee's eyes closed as he lost consciousness.

Gai burst in just then, taking stock of the disheveled little home and the unconscious man and two boys at the center of the room looking worse for wear.

"Lee!" Gai shouted sadly at the sight of his beloved pupil on the floor, dirty and injured.

He went to Lee and plopped down beside him in much the same way Jouichirou had earlier. Then he reached down and with what looked like little effort at all, he snapped the chains binding Lee's legs, freeing them. Jouichirou's eyes widened in amazement. Gai lay Lee's head in his lap, stroking his tangled hair.

Jouichirou looked down at Gai's headband-belt, then back at his face. "...Are you... Gai-sensei? The one he's been talking about?"

Gai nodded without looking up. "Oh Lee..." he said as he stroked Lee's cheek.

Jouichirou sighed in relief. "Thank god you're here..."


	5. Wonderful

**Is anyone still reading this? It hasn't gotten many reviews, so I don't know. :-(

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It wasn't very long before Nobuhiro and Ayane came back home, having heard that there was a skirmish there. Seeing the door completely ajar, they rushed in.

"Mom! Dad!" Jouichirou shouted, as they rushed to their son's side, groceries and fish lying forgotten on the table. "Dad... Lee's hurt!..."

"So are you, Chirou!" Nobuhiro noted Jouichirou's arm. It still oozed blood, just not as much anymore. "What happened here?" he asked as he caught sight of Matsuhara's body, still out cold on the floor, and Gai, still cradling Lee's head in his lap.

Jouichirou told his parents about how Matsuhara had broken in, found Lee where he'd hidden him, and attacked him viciously. That it had only been with the aid of his mother's rolling pin that Jouichirou had been able to stop the man at all. Then he told them about Gai's entrance and who he was to Lee.

"Good work, Chirou! I'm very proud of you." he said to the boy, then he turned to Gai. "Lee's going to need a doctor." he said to Gai, who still hadn't looked up. "If you'd like, we have one who can come to look him over while he's here."

Gai took a deep breath and nodded agreeing to it. While Nobuhiro went to fetch the doctor, Gai had one small loose end he needed to tie up.

* * *

"I stabilized his arm and ribs, but he's going to need to be transported to a hospital where he can get the specialized treatment he needs." the doctor told them after a thorough examination. "The best and nearest place to go would be Konoha Hospital. I'm going to give him a mild sedative to make transporting him easier." the doctor said as he did just that.

Lee looked up tiredly at his new-found foster family. "Thank you so much for taking such good care of me. I'll miss you all." he smiled sleepily. Turning to Gai, he said, "Gai-sensei, let's go home..." And with that, his eyelids drooped closed. A second later, his soft snores could be heard.

"We're happy that you two were able to be reunited." Ayane said to Gai, laying her hand on his. "But we hate that you have to go."

Nobuhiro nodded in agreement. "You're welcome back anytime though." He grabbed a backpack filled with the water and food they'd need for the journey back to Konoha and set it in Gai's hands. "A little something you might need."

Gai was grateful for the gift as he'd also not eaten much while he was trailing Matsuhara. His mind had only been on finding Lee and bringing him home. The first half of that had been accomplished. Now he just had to take Lee home, where he'd be safe.

"Thank you so much." Gai said as he accepted the pack, slipping it over one shoulder. Most of the food would go to Lee, of course, who needed it more right now. He gently picked up Lee, cradling him in his arms, making sure to support the sleeping boy's head.

Goodbyes were said, and Gai set off for Konoha. From here, it should only be a day's run.

A weight had been lifted from Gai's shoulders. Lee had been found, and Matsuhara was in the village jail awaiting transport back to Konoha in the morning. Konoha, where Matsuhara would be tried and hopefully convicted of kidnapping, imprisoning, and torturing an innocent child.

* * *

Careful not to jostle the sleeping boy, Gai leapt up into the canopy of trees once more. Nobuhiro and his family watched them go until the two were out of sight.

Lee lay in the hospital bed asleep with Gai by his side. A line of pain was still etched between his eyebrows and Gai knew that every breath Lee took was torture for the boy. The pain meds helped, but only a little. If he'd only gotten to Lee a few minutes faster. He should've opened a gate.

He shook his head. Lee needed him. Now was the time for the strong Maito Gai, not the one who had doubts and regrets.

Lee groaned, moving his head on the pillow, and slowly opened his eyes. "...Gai-sensei..." His eyes roamed tiredly about the room. "Where... am I?"

"You're in the hospital Lee..." Gai said quietly, trying to keep his emotions in check. "...How do you feel?"

"...In... Konoha?..." Lee asked, wanting to know that more than anything else.

Gai smiled gently. "Yes Lee... We're back in Konoha... How do you feel?"

Lee smiled, breathing a sigh of relief despite the intense pain in his ribs and back. "...I feel... wonderful..."

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**For the people still reading this, there are still going to be two or three more chapters before it's done.  
**


	6. A Week Later

**I loved writing this chapter, so I hope all of you still following this story enjoy it! ^_^

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"...Gai-sensei?" Lee asked Gai on the way to the latter's apartment. Lee's legs were still too weak to carry his weight, and his ribs, arm, and back were still healing, so Gai carried him in his arms.

"Yeah?" Gai asked as he walked.

"How long am I going to be staying with you?" he asked. Although Lee was very happy that Gai had offered to let him stay with him, he didn't want to impose on his sensei.

"As long as you like." Gai replied, smiling down at his favorite student. To tell the truth, Gai really didn't think that Lee should have to return to that lonely, empty apartment after his ordeal. He really wanted Lee to stay with him from now on, but he wanted it to be Lee's decision to do so, not his own.

Lee thought about it for a moment, then asked, "...Are you sure I won't be imposing?"

"Imposing? Of course not!" Gai laughed, a hearty laugh that jostled Lee and made his ribs hurt. Lee winced, but said nothing. He liked hearing Gai laugh. "I do have to admit," Gai said after a moment. "I could use the company."

Lee smiled shyly, laying his head on Gai's shoulder.

* * *

Gai helped Lee into his pajamas, and put him to bed. Then he ordered out beef curry and rice for them to eat. When the food arrived, Gai piled pillows behind Lee's back to prop him up and handed him his food. As Lee dug in, he got his own food and sat on the bed next to Lee.

"This is so good! I haven't had any in so long!" Lee spoke quietly, but excitedly as he took another bite, washing it down with a swallow of milk.

Gai's heart went out to Lee, and it showed on his face. "I'm glad you like it. I ordered the best in Konoha." As Lee smiled up at him, he said, "When you heal up some more, we'll go get you the yakiniku you wanted before all this happened."

He drank in the sight of Lee as the boy ate in comfort and security, knowing that as long as Gai was there, he was safe.

"It's so good to have you back, Lee." Gai said as tears welled up in his eyes and ran down his face.

"It's good to _be_ back, Gai-sensei..." Lee said quietly as tears streaked his own face.

Gai gazed at his favorite student for a moment longer, then he wrapped his arms around Lee, holding him in a gentle embrace. Lee began to sob hard, all his grief, sadness, and fear coming to the surface.

"I-I begged him to let me go, Gai-sensei! I _begged_ him! I tried reasoning with him, everything! And he wouldn't! He _wouldn't_!" Lee sobbed into his sensei's chest. "He was trying to keep me locked up forever! It was only by sheer luck that I was able to finally escape..." he sniffed, wiping at his eyes.

As Lee sobbed out his words, Gai grew angry. What right had Matsuhara had to hold an innocent child prisoner like that? He'd known even back when Lee was in the academy that the man wasn't entirely sane. But still, to lock up a child and try to keep him like that forever was _beyond_ insane. He held Lee closer to him, rubbing his back.

"Did he tell you why he was keeping you prisoner in this way?" Gai asked, curious as to why this man was so eager to lock away a young child. Lee had done nothing to him.

"He wanted to stop me from pursuing my dream." Lee sniffed, looking up at Gai. "He bound my legs and chained me to the bed, Gai-sensei!" Fresh tears welled up in Lee's eyes. "I couldn't do anything but lie there every day."

To intentionally restrain someone as active as Lee in such a manner was nothing short of child cruelty. And to stop him from pursuing his dream? This angered Gai to the point he wanted to kill the man. Instead, he held his most precious person in his comforting embrace, and rocked him back and forth, stroking his hair.

"Please don't worry, Lee." Gai said soothingly. "As long as I'm around, that man will never touch you again. I promise."

This reassured Lee, and eventually, Lee's breathing grew calm again. He looked sleepily up at his beloved sensei. "Will you stay with me, Gai-sensei? Just for tonight?"

Gai gazed into Lee's hopeful eyes. He would do anything for Lee, so he said, "I will, for as long as you need me."

Lee smiled a small smile as he moved to lie down, favoring his ribs and arm. Even though his arm was encased in plaster from his hand to just below the shoulder, it was still terribly sore. He needed to thank Jouichirou properly one of these days. Had it not been for him, Matsuhara might have killed Lee.

Gai moved Lee's tray off the bed so that he could get comfortable. Then he handed Lee his pain meds, which he swallowed with the last of his milk. Lee moved to lie down again, but Gai stopped him.

"I'd like to keep holding you for a while." he said to Lee. "Will that be okay? Just for a little while longer."

Lee nodded, another small smile lighting his face. Gai embraced Lee once more, holding on to him as if he were a lifeline. He stroked Lee's hair and rubbed his back.

"You can hold me for as long as you want, Gai-sensei." Lee said as he returned his sensei's embrace.

"For as long as you want."


	7. Reunited Family

**One of my reviewer's (Thanks geekybeauty!) wanted me to clarify that there will be no Gai/Lee pairing nor are they entering a relationship. Just wanted to clear that up for those who may have been confused by the last chapter. On with the fic!

* * *

**

Lee awoke the next morning to the smell of fried sausage, eggs, and biscuits. A sleepy smile lit up his face as Gai brought in his bedtray and helped Lee sit up. On Lee's plate were two sausage patties, two biscuits, and an egg. A glass of milk completed the breakfast. Lee tucked into his meal.

"How are you feeling, Lee?" Gai asked as he sat next to Lee with a protein shake in his hand.

"I'm feeling a little better than yesterday. Is that all you're having?" Lee asked as he noticed the shake. "Don't you want some of this?" Lee asked, more than happy to share his breakfast with his favorite person.

"No thanks, I'm good for now." Gai said, declining the offer. "Besides, I want you to enjoy your breakfast. Don't worry about me." he said, smiling gently at Lee.

As Lee turned back to his food, Gai said, "You know..." Lee turned his attention back to his sensei.

"I would really like for you to live with me from now on. Permanently, I mean." He glanced at Lee. "Would you like that?"

"...I would love that actually, but won't I be imposing on you if I stayed with you for more than a few days?" Lee asked quietly, feeling badly that he might be inconveniencing Gai.

"Why do you think you're imposing on me, Lee?" Gai asked, honestly curious.

"I... don't know..." he said, taking a sip of milk. "I just feel like I'll be an inconvenience"

"You're never an inconvenience." He told Lee truthfully. "Your presence brightens my entire world. When you were gone, it was like my whole world had crumbled. I'm so happy that you're back and safe, I just don't know what to do."

Lee was stunned. No one had ever spoken of him in that way before. Tears pricked the corner of his eyes as Gai spoke.

"You are my world, Lee. I... I just don't know what I'd do without you."

The tears spilled over as Lee embraced his mentor and friend.

"I feel the same, Gai-sensei... While I was locked away in that horrid room, I thought of you constantly. I wanted to be with you again so badly..."

Gai hugged Lee closer to him. "All that is safely in the past now. All that matters is that you're here now, and that you're safe."

Gai dried one of Lee's tears with his thumb. "How about we spend the day at the park? Just you and me."

Lee smiled shyly. "I'd like that."

* * *

After Lee finished his breakfast and took his pain meds, Gai helped him into some play clothes that consisted of a t-shirt, shorts, and sandals.

"Gai-sensei, I want to try walking on my own today." Lee said as Gai moved to pick him up again. Lee's legs shook as he stood up unsteadily. He hadn't stood in an upright position in nearly two months. Gai stood a few feet away and beckoned to Lee. Lee took a tentative step in Gai's direction. That was a mistake however, as his leg gave out and he would've fallen face first onto the floor had Gai not caught him first.

"We'll need to strengthen your legs again. You okay?" Gai said worriedly as he sat Lee back onto the bed. Damn that Matsuhara! Gai wished he had the man's neck in his hands.

"Yes, I'm okay." Lee said as he stretched his legs. They felt like cooked noodles, they were still so weak. His ribs hurt terribly right now too though he tried not to show it.

Gai looked Lee over. He could tell Lee was trying hard to hide the pain he was in. "Tell you what. When you heal up some more, we'll practice walking then. Okay?"

"But how will I get around until then?" Lee asked, afraid of the answer he was going to receive.

"Actually, you really should rest in bed until you heal..." Gai said hesitantly as he sat down next to Lee. Then he smiled. "But, you can rest when we get back home."

Lee smiled brightly.

* * *

It was a pleasant sunny day in the park, Gai noted as he carried Lee in his arms. Lee seemed to enjoy getting out of the apartment, and it showed on his face. But then, anyone would be happy to get outside after they'd been locked up indoors for as long as Lee had.

As Gai sat Lee down in a swing and began gently pushing him, Tenten walked up.

"Hi Gai-sensei! Hi Lee! Fancy meeting you two here! Good to see you feeling better!" the older girl commented cheerfully to Lee. "Everytime Neji and I visited you in the hospital, you were sleeping."

"I was in a lot of pain when I was awake." He winced as a twinge of pain shot through his ribs just then. "But I'm okay now."

"But you still hurt." Tenten pointed out, concern in her voice. "You should have lots of bedrest, so you can get better."

"I don't want to be in bed." Lee stated simply. Gai then gave Tenten a summary of what Lee had told him the night before.

"Oh Lee! I'm so sorry, I had no idea!" she cried.

"It's okay." Lee murmured, staring at his toes. Then something Tenten had said caught Lee's attention. He looked up at her. "Neji came to visit me in the hospital?"

"Yeah!" Tenten exclaimed. "And he said he was glad to have you back."

Lee's eyebrows shot up. "He did?"

"Yes I did." Lee heard Neji's voice say to his left. His head whirled around. Neji was coming toward him. He stopped by one of the swingset poles.

"It... wasn't the same with you gone." Neji admitted, arms crossed, eyes averted, as he leaned against the pole closest to him.

Lee knew how hard it was for Neji to make that admission, and he smiled shyly. "Thank you, Neji."

Gai spoke then. "It's so nice to see our youthful little family back together again!" he said, tears starting to stream down his face.

Neji looked at him quizzically, Tenten rolled her eyes, but Lee grinned the biggest grin he'd ever grinned. "You guys really _are_ my family, and I wouldn't give you up for the world!"

Even the taciturn Neji had to smile at that.

* * *

At lunchtime, Tenten sat with Lee on a blanket while Neji and Gai checked out the food vendors in the park. Tenten could tell that the younger boy was in a lot of pain right now. His breathing was uneven, the line of pain between his brows again, and his forehead showed beads of sweat forming even though it was a cool day out.

"Lee..." Tenten said quietly, concern in her tone as Lee winced hard, placing his hand on his ribs. "Maybe you should lie down while we wait on our food..."

Lee nodded, surprising the older girl by doing as she'd suggested.

It wasn't long before Neji and Gai came back with the food and drinks. Gai put down the food he was carrying, and getting down on his knees, he helped Lee sit upright again and gave him his food. Despite the pain Lee was in, he ate quickly, eager to lie back down again. Once he'd had a few bites of his food, Gai produced the bottle of Lee's painkillers and shook two into his hand. Lee swallowed them with a sip of juice from his cup, ate a little more then lay down again.

"Maybe you should take him back home." Tenten said between bites of food. "He really needs bedrest if he's hurting that badly."

"Maybe you're right." Gai said as he finished his food. "But it'll be up to Lee whether or not he wants to go. Lee?"

Lee shook his head against the blanket, eyes closed. "...I'll be okay... I just need to rest a little..."

"Which would be better done in bed," Neji said, placing the last of his chili dog in his mouth. "not on a blanket in a park.

"I know you don't want to be in bed," Tenten started, laying a gentle hand on Lee's shoulder. "but it's really for the best."

Lee shook his head again. Tenten looked searchingly up at Gai.

"After what he's been through, let's let Lee decide where he'll rest." Gai told Tenten gently. "I'll take him home if he's not feeling better in a little while."

The others reluctantly agreed. "Gai-sensei, Neji and I are going to go train, we'll be back here in about an hour to see how Lee's feeling."

"Okay. I'll be right here if you need anything." Gai said as he threw away any trash that was on the blanket, and covered Lee's body with it. Taking off his flak jacket, he placed it under Lee's head. Sitting behind Lee, he guarded the boy while he rested.

Feeling safe and secure with Gai there with him, Lee fell into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Gai looked down as Lee began to stir. It was late afternoon, early evening. Lee slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes with his good arm, yawning.

"Are you feeling any better?" Gai asked moving into Lee's field of vision. Lee smiled sleepily and nodded.

Gai stood up and stretched, then sat beside Lee. "I'm glad. Are you hungry?"

"Yes, I am." Lee said, his voice still thick with sleep.

"Want to go get that yakiniku now?" Gai asked with an excited smile.

Lee grinned wider. "Yes, Gai-sensei!" Then he paused. "Are Tenten and Neji coming with us?"

Gai's smile faded a bit. He remembered what Lee had told him nearly two months ago, before he was kidnapped and imprisoned. "Um... Only if you want them to..."

"Good!" Lee said, grinning from ear to ear. "I do!"

* * *

At the yakiniku restaurant, the waitress had already taken their drink orders and they were sitting, waiting for the meat sizzling on the grill in the center of their table to finish cooking.

"It smells so good!" Lee said as he used his chopsticks to grab a piece of meat off the grill, and dip it in his bowl of sauce. It was a bit difficult for Lee, with his broken arm, but he somehow managed without help.

"It does, doesn't it?" Tenten asked as she grabbed a piece herself, dipped it in the sauce, and stuck it in her mouth. "And it's seasoned just right too."

"It is." Lee agreed, picking up another piece. "I haven't had any in so long!... It's so good!"

Tenten gazed at him sympathetically from the corner of her eye. "It must have been tough, being held prisoner against your will like that." She lay some more meat onto the grill.

Lee nodded, his face flushing with embarrassment. He really didn't want to talk about that. He just wanted to move on and forget all of what happened. Still, he politely answered, "It was."

Gai noticed Lee's embarrassment, and before she could ask Lee anything else, Gai interrupted. "Tenten, this isn't a time to make Lee talk about his ordeal. This is a celebration! We're here to have fun! Right Lee?"

Before Lee could answer, Gai lifted his glass. "A toast then, to having our little youthful family back together again!"

Lee, Tenten, and Neji lifted their glasses along with Gai, clicking them together. They took sips from their glasses, then tucked into their meals.

* * *

Lee lay in bed in his room, propped up on some pilloews, trying to watch a movie. However, twinges of pain in his back, and ribs were distracting him. His arm was another story altogether. It throbbed with a deep down ache that made him want to take off his cast and massage it.

After a few minutes, Gai came in with a bowl of Extreme Moose Tracks ice cream and some vanilla wafers on a tray. "Here's your ice cream, Lee." He said, setting the tray down across Lee's thighs.

Lee's face brightened a little, but Gai could tell that there was something weighing on the boy's mind and heart. Gai sat on the bed beside Lee, and they watched the movie in silence for a while. Gai wanted to ask Lee what was on his mind, but didn't want to pressure Lee to talk about things if he didn't want to. Therefore, Lee surprised Gai when he spoke.

"I believe... he was trying to kill me..." Lee said quietly, brow furrowing as he spoke. "...I escaped the only way I knew how... and he found me again and tried to kill me..."

"How did you escape?" Gai asked. He'd been curious every since he'd been trailing Matsuhara as to how Lee had escaped the man's clutches.

"I'd been having a really good dream..." Lee began, looking down at his hands. "And he woke me up... When I saw where I was, I started to cry... uncontrollably..." Lee continued, fidgeting with his hands, ice cream forgotten. "When he couldn't get me to stop, he unchained my legs from the bed... Seeing my chance, I... I kicked him in the face, knocking him unconcious. I looked for keys to the chains around my legs... Not finding any, I just made sure I got out of there as fast as I could... I didn't want to do that... Kick him in the face, I mean... But he gave me no choice..." He looked up sadly at Gai then, tears in his eyes, starting to streak down his face. "He gave me _no other_ choice, Gai-sensei!"

That's probably why he hurt Lee so badly, Gai thought. Because he was angry at Lee for kicking him. Before he could speak however, Lee continued again.

"He used to tell me that he didn't want to see me injured... Didn't want me to be hurt... Then he does something like this!..." Lee wiped at his eyes. The tears continued to fall. "He kicked me in my ribs until I couldn't breath or speak... And he broke my arm... I had to escape though... I _had_ to!"

Gai understood what Lee meant. The man wasn't about to free Lee voluntarily. Had Lee _not_ escaped, he'd still be in his kidnapper's clutches, only god knows where, crying out for Gai. He slid a strong but gentle arm around his most precious person. He should definitely have opened a gate to get to Lee faster. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that." He remembered the scene in the residence when he got there. Matsuhara out cold on the floor near Lee, and the other boy, Jouichirou, with a rolling pin next to him on the floor.

"...If it hadn't been for Jouichirou..." Lee sniffed, closing his eyes as Gai put his other arm around him. The boy had been through hell, but he was here now, alive and safe. He hugged Lee to him, stroking his silky soft hair.

"I know... I know..." Gai whispered, trying to soothe Lee. "That man will _never_ _ever _bother you again, Lee."

"He had me locked up in such a small room, Gai-sensei..." Lee said, tears dampening Gai's chest. "I wanted out, but he wouldn't let me go!"

"Shh...I know... You're safe now, Lee..." he whispered comfortingly as the boy sobbed into his chest. "It's okay..."

Eventually, Lee's sobs subsided, and his face was one of calm once again. Gai held onto his most precious student, his strong arms enveloping the boy. After a long while, Gai could hear the even breathing that indicated that Lee had surrendered to sleep.

Tomorrow, Gai thought. Tomorrow, he would go to the jailhouse and inquire of Matsuhara himself as to the reason he'd felt it necessary to kidnap Lee and hold him prisoner. Why he felt the need to beat Lee to within an inch of his life after he'd escaped. He wanted to hear it straight from the horses mouth.

* * *

**If I can finish the last chapter, which I'm having some trouble with, it should be posted sometime next week.**


	8. The Visit

**At the end of the last chapter I posted, I said something about having this chapter out next week. What a long week **_**that**_** was! Felt like four months! *wink***

**Anyway, here's the last chapter:**

* * *

Gai strode with a purpose towards the ANBU guarded jailhouse with Lee in his arms. He hadn't really meant for Lee to come with him, be there when he asked his questions, but Lee had woken up that morning before he could leave. When Lee asked where he was going, Gai naturally told him, never wanting to lie to the boy. To his surprise, Lee had wanted to go with him.

He entered the building, talked to some of the guards, and then they were led down a long corridor until they reached several locked cells. He and the guard stopped in front of one of the doors on the right hand side. Gai could see Matsuhara sitting behind a mesh partition through the window in the door. He shifted Lee's weight in his arms just a bit, as the door was unlocked. Closing his eyes, and taking a deep breath, he walked into the cell. He heard Lee swallow beside him as he opened his eyes again.

"You know I shouldn't even be in here." Matsuhara Gorou said calmly, sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms.

Gai's brow furrowed in anger. "And why is that?"

"What happened to me is all that little brat's doing." He glared hatefully in Lee's direction.

Now that Lee was in the safety of Gai's arms, he wasn't afraid to glare right back. Gai spoke then. "What happened to _you_? What about what you did to _Lee_?"

"What I did _for_ Lee, you mean." Matsuhara's grey eyes flicked back to Gai, the calm expression gracing his features once more. "While he was with me, he was well cared for. He was just _ungrateful_."

"That's not what I heard." Gai told him, equally as calm, at least on the outside. "He told me that you locked him up to stop him from persuing his dream to be a good shinobi."

To Gai's surprise, Matsuhara belted out a hearty laugh. "Come _on_! You know _just_ as well as I do that Lee will never be a _true_ ninja with that kind of disability! I did him a favor! He should just give up!"

"I'll _never_ give up!" Lee fired back. "And you stop telling me that I'll never be a ninja! I'll become a _great_ shinobi! You'll see!"

Matsuhara snorted. "Yeah, you can talk big with your sensei holding you in his arms like that. Big baby. If I could get out of here for just five minutes, I'd catch you again and lock you back up faster than you could say your own name!" He clutched hard at the mesh with both hands, shouting, "You have no _worth_ as a shinobi!"

Gai noted the stricken look on Lee's face at Matsuhara's words. He took a step closer to the man behind the mesh. "You'll not speak that way to my student, Gorou! He'll make you eat those words one day!"

"Hmph." he huffed, crossing his arms. "We'll see, _if_ that day when he becomes a _greeeaaat shinobi,_" he bent his fingers into air quotes as he rolled his eyes. "ever comes!"

"I'm warning you." Gai said sternly. "Don't make fun of Lee."

"How does it feel, Matsuhara-sensei?" Lee asked quietly.

The man in question turned angrily to Lee. "How does what feel, Brat!"

"Being locked away against your will. You feel trapped and scared, because you can't see a way out." Lee said calmly, but he was troubled inwardly. "I can see that you don't like it either so why do you still want to keep _me_ locked up against _my_ will?"

"Look, Brat. The _only_ difference between you and I is that you _should_ be locked away. You don't know your own limits and weaknesses. I told you before, your silly little fairytale dream is just that. A dream. It will never be reality, no matter how much you want it to be. You were safe and cared for with me. But you keep up this 'want to be a shinobi' nonsense, and you'll only end up in misery when you realize all that hard work was for nothing."

Gai listened to the conversation with an attentive ear and realized that, deep down, in Matsuhara's own sick and twisted way, the man did actually care for Lee. But that didn't excuse what he'd done to the boy. He spoke up then.

"If you care about Lee so much, what made you so angry at him that you broke his ribs and arm and nearly killed him?"

"As I told you before. That little brat was ungrateful." Matsuhara sneered, again giving Lee that hateful glare. He clutched the mesh again. "I lovingly cared for him, made sure all his needs were met, and what does he do? The first chance he gets, he kicks me right in the face! No warning, nothing! Little _brat_!" He spat out the last word as if it were something very foul tasting.

"So... Let me get this straight." Gai began. "For doing what he could to escape, which is what _any_ sane person in his situation would do, you try to kill him?"

"Sure, make _me_ the bad guy." Matsuhara said sitting back, rolling his eyes, and crossing his arms again.

"You _are_ the bad guy!" Gai and Lee both shouted in unison.

"I had to do _something_!" Lee said angrily. "I wouldn't have been able to get out of there otherwise!"

"And what was so wrong with living with me, huh?" Matsuhara shot back. "You had enough good food, water, a comfortable bed, everything you needed."

"I _didn't_ have everything I needed." Lee said, brow furrowing. "You wouldn't even allow me outside, even though I begged you to. You kept me locked in that little room the entire time."

Matsuhara sighed, anger starting to dissipate. "I told you that that was for your own good."

"And I told _you_ that kids need the freedom to run, jump, and play." Lee sighed. Matsuhara was missing the point, as usual. "Why can't you understand that?"

"You hurt yourself too much in your attempt to be a good ninja. Sustain too many injuries." Matsuhara said, crossing his arms, calm expression still in place. "You were fine just as I had you. You didn't need to go outside or be anywhere but in that room where I could take care of you. It wasn't something you'd like or want, but you would've gotten used to it eventually."

"No sane person gets used to being a prisoner." Gai said simply, eyebrows furrowing. Lee nodded his head, agreeing. "Even _you_ don't like it. What makes you think Lee would adjust to something that was against his will to begin with? Like you, he also has a strong aversion to captivity. If you want to get out of _here_ and you've only been here a few _days_, how do you think Lee felt after you held him prisoner for so many _weeks_?"

Matsuhara huffed, turning his head away, looking off to one side. "It didn't matter how Lee felt. I was doing what was good for him." Then he looked straight into Gai's eyes, his own blond brow furrowing. "Unlike you. You keep telling him and pushing him to be a great ninja when even _you_ know that he won't _ever_ be a great ninja."

"I know he has the _potential_ to be a great ninja." Gai said truthfully, revealing what he felt in his heart. "You're no better than the others, giving up on Lee before you even give him a chance."

"It's not giving up when the person has no chance to begin with." Matsuhara said, glancing quickly at Gai, then Lee, then down at the ground. He spoke quietly then, "I was doing what was best for Lee. I didn't kidnap... take him away because I wanted to do anything bad to him. I did it because I felt that my way of helping him was the best way. I still do."

He looked up then, surprising both ninja with the apologetic look on his face. He addressed Lee. "While I'm not sorry that I took you away and kept you locked up and chained to the bed, as I still believe that that was for the best, ...I do apologize for getting so angry with you that I tried to kill you. I shouldn't have done that. I should have thought things through more. I'm sorry."

Gai didn't know how to take the apology. He knew that the man _did_ care about Lee, but not enough to respect his wish to remain free and make his own choices. Ultimately though, it would be up to Lee whether or not he would accept the apology. He looked to the boy in his arms.

Lee thought a moment, then looked Matsuhara in the eye. "I forgive you and I accept your apology."

Gai knew that Lee forgave easily and didn't hold grudges, so what Lee had said hadn't really surprised him at all. But he had one more thing to say to the man behind the mesh. "Imprisoning an innocent child and chaining him to a bed is not _best_ for anyone. I'm only forgiving you because Lee has." He narrowed his eyes then, and said, "But if you _do_ one day get out of prison, it would definitely be in your best interest to _leave Lee alone_." The way he said it left no room for argument.

Matsuhara scowled a bit, but he didn't say anything. He knew Gai meant business. Gai was also strong. Stronger than he himself. If he tried to capture Lee again, there would be no telling what Gai might do to him. He sighed in resignation. Then looked up at Lee with determination. "Since you seem so determined to try to be a great ninja, I want you to work hard like you've been doing, and prove me wrong. Can you do that?"

Lee's massive eyebrows swept upward in surprise. He didn't think that Matsuhara would ever agree to something like this. And all he'd ever wanted to do was to become a great ninja, and prove all of his many naysayers wrong, so he nodded. "Yes." Then a determined smile spread over his face. "You bet I will!"

Matsuhara crossed his arms again, but this time with a satisfied look on his face. "You'd better. When I get out of here, I want to see how strong you've become, and you _better_ at least make chuunin rank too. I'm going to try to believe in you, so don't you disappoint me, Lee." he warned.

Lee shook his head once. "I won't."

"Good." Matsuhara concluded the conversation with a nod. "Now get out of here and go train. You have a long way to go." He said the last part without any trace of mockery or disdain. Then he added, "Just don't hurt yourself too much."

Gai, who was gazing at Lee the whole time Matsuhara had spoken to him, turned at last to face the man. "If I have anything to do with it, he _will_ become a great ninja. One of the best Konoha's ever witnessed!" he said proudly.

Grey eyes flicked in Gai's direction. "You just make sure of that."

"Oh, I will." Gai said, before he turned and headed for the door. Just before he stepped out, however, he looked over his shoulder. "Count on it."

* * *

Gai stepped out into the late morning sunshine, glad to have accomplished what he'd come out to do. He had Lee back, had gotten his answers, and everything was back to normal again.

"Gai-sensei?" Lee's voice interrupted his thoughts. Gai smiled. "The smoothie shop is open." Lee observed, then he turned to Gai. "Let's get one for breakfast."

"That's a great idea, Lee." Gai smiled as he turned and headed in the direction of the shop.

While Gai ordered a simple strawberry smoothie, Lee ordered a large kiwi-mango-pineapple smoothie. Lee stuck the straw into his mouth, happily slurping the thick, cold, and goopy liquid.

"Gai-sensei?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you really think I can become, maybe not the most powerful ninja in the village, but maybe the strongest?" Lee asked anxiously. "Do you think I can prove Matsuhara-sensei wrong?"

Gai grinned proudly at his most beloved student. "_Think_ you can? I _know_ you can!"

Lee smiled, placing his head on Gai's shoulder as they walked back toward home.

END

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**Important Author's Note!:**

**Because of the series' current obsession with Sasuke, and the overall darker theme of Shippuuden, I've now lost nearly all my interest in the Naruto fandom, and most likely, won't be writing any more Naruto fics in the near future unless I come up with some more good Lee ideas. I do plan to finish Little Ghost Of The Dojo though, I just don't know when I'll be able to.**

**Anyway, if anyone is still reading this story, please leave a review to let me know you're out there and how you liked the ending.**

**Saying goodbye to the Naruto fandom, at least for now... A great big THANK YOU to everyone who's read and reviewed all my Naruto fics. Maybe, one day, I can write another.**


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